bullets forward?

[littlejerry]

I've gotten into tac-rifle matches lately and I'm curious to hear how you guys are carrying your spare mags.

I'm currently using bladetech injection molded carriers on my wilderness belt. I can carry mags in either orientation and can see merrits for both.

Am I missing something? Is there a right(and wrong) way to do this or is it personal preference?

[Shokr21]

I prefer to grab the magazine in the "beer can" grip. Where the thumb of my left hand wraps around the back of the magazine while the fingers wrap around the front of the magazine. So the magazine is positioned so the bullets are to the rear while on the belt.

This allows for a more fluid motion for me*. Grab mag insert into magwell and transition weak hand back to the forearm.

*I'm not everyone, different strokes for different folks and all.

[shootist26]

I have never managed to get the bullets forward way to work with AR mags. My pistol mags, yes, they are bullets forward. But my AR mags are bullets back and I use the beer can grip.

[Haraise]

Anyone else read the title of this thread and assume the OP was an H&K owner? :o

[Corlissimo]

Anyone else read the title of this thread and assume the OP was an H&K owner? :o

Guilty.


~ Typos brought to you by my laziness & in attention to detail.

[JRas]

Its personal preference

I use rounds foward as its the same as my handgun reload.

Some actually do both, beer can reload from hip and index from chest. Try a beer can grip reload from chest. Akward right?

[Jay Cunningham]

It depends on the gun for me.

I carry AR magazines like pistol mags. I carry AK mags bullets to the rear.

My reasoning is the different ways the magazine actually enters the particular type of gun.

I can understand an argument about "muscle memory" or whatever, but the control layout is completely different anyway, so I don't worry about that aspect too much. At least for me personally.

[JHC]

I prefer to grab the magazine in the "beer can" grip. Where the thumb of my left hand wraps around the back of the magazine while the fingers wrap around the front of the magazine. So the magazine is positioned so the bullets are to the rear while on the belt.

This allows for a more fluid motion for me*. Grab mag insert into magwell and transition weak hand back to the forearm.

*I'm not everyone, different strokes for different folks and all.

That was unknown to me until Frank Proctor training. He was quite adamant about it's efficiency. Before that I'd only reloaded from a vest in 3 gunning or old web gear mag pouches in the '80's. I found it pretty slick.

[Zhurdan]

Its personal preference

I use rounds foward as its the same as my handgun reload.

Some actually do both, beer can reload from hip and index from chest. Try a beer can grip reload from chest. Akward right?

Depends on your set up. I use a beer can grip but only because of how my mags are oriented. They are butt down on a chest rig so bullets pointing right out of FASTmag's. Oh, and before someone say's they'll fall out... three years of training and I've never had one fall out or even start to slip and that included doing face down in the dirt work too.

[Shokr21]

When I run body armor (in a combat role, I don't own personal body armor) I always had my first double pouch on the middle of my chest, and the other pouches worked to the left of middle as I wore them. It was somewhat awkward still grabbing beer can style, but I couldn't get myself to position the mags with bullets pointing to the right.

I'm that goofy bastard that didn't know any better when it came to pistol mags and started off with the bullets pointing to the rear. It took me watching a couple youtube videos and doing some reading before I realized the error of my ways.

[JeffJ]

I'm also in the Beer Can camp - my little hands just can't do a "pistol-style" reload with a 30 round mag in any kind of aggressive fashion in time not measured with a sun dial. Beer can grip, reload done - I'm shooting again.

[JMS]

I carry AR magazines like pistol mags.

Aside: You end up beer-canning them anyway, though, by running your hand palm-outboard, between your body and the mag, right? I seem to recall that because Dad was giving me crap over not running my spare mag the same as you... :p

Littlejerry, probably the most sensible way to figure out which'd work best for you is to try them all, each on a timer. Basically, it's good to know all methods, but to go with the one that you fumble the least; that's usually also the fastest. I index pistol mags and chest-mounted AR mags, bullets pointed forward (or clockwise), but I'm demonstrably faster and less prone to fumbling by going beer-can on belt-mounted AR mags than I am trying to index them, so those mags have the bullets pointed to the rear (counterclockwise).

Given the opportunity to choose, it's better to go with what measurably works better for you, and the only way to figure that out is to try them all under as many circumstances as possible. Standing/kneeling/prone, unconventional positions, whatever you're likely to run across during whatever your "normal" usage, plus some "abnormal" stuff. If nothing else, you'll have some fun experimenting.

[ST911]

Handgun mags- bullets forward. Rifle mags- bullets rearward/beer can grip. The systems are different enough that I don't have muscle memory conflicts.

[Jay Cunningham]

Aside: You end up beer-canning them anyway, though, by running your hand palm-outboard, between your body and the mag, right? I seem to recall that because Dad was giving me crap over not running my spare mag the same as you... :p


I'm glad you mentioned that. One of the reasons that I prefer bullets-forward with AR mags (and the resulting sweep-the-hand between mag and body, palm out) is that I wind up naturally getting a higher grip on the mag, which I feel is very helpful in reloading the AR. A minor note: you can in fact access and load a 20 round AR mag like a pistol mag.

Going straight on top of the AK mag (bullets to the rear, traditional "beer can") tends to put a lower hold on the mag which is useful in the rock-and-lock reload that must occur.

Of course all of it's subjective.

[littlejerry]

I'm glad you mentioned that. One of the reasons that I prefer bullets-forward with AR mags (and the resulting sweep-the-hand between mag and body, palm out) is that I wind up naturally getting a higher grip on the mag, which I feel is very helpful in reloading the AR. A minor note: you can in fact access and load a 20 round AR mag like a pistol mag.

Going straight on top of the AK mag (bullets to the rear, traditional "beer can") tends to put a lower hold on the mag which is useful in the rock-and-lock reload that must occur.

Of course all of it's subjective.

Thanks for clarifying. It also sounds like the type of pouch you use and how close it rides to the body might have an impact.

It sounds like beer-can is the way to go(which is what I've been doing so far) but that doesn't necessarily dictate the direction of the mag.


Thanks for all the replies. While we are on the subject, what kind of belt mounted pouches do you guys recommend? I'm currently using a blade tech tek lock pouch but it seems very inefficient with space.

[EMC]

Thanks for clarifying. It also sounds like the type of pouch you use and how close it rides to the body might have an impact.

It sounds like beer-can is the way to go(which is what I've been doing so far) but that doesn't necessarily dictate the direction of the mag.


Thanks for all the replies. While we are on the subject, what kind of belt mounted pouches do you guys recommend? I'm currently using a blade tech tek lock pouch but it seems very inefficient with space.

If you want a slimmer profile at a reasonable price, check out kytex mag pouches. Simple low profile design. Easy on/off.

http://www.kytexgear.com/products-page/rifle-mag-carriers/

[BoppaBear]

I prefer to run my pistol mags bullets forward, and AR mags bullets rearward. I use the "beer can" grip with the AR mags, but my pinky slides under the mag base plat to assist in seating the mag firmly. An instructor taught me this in a course. The pinky under the bottom helps seat the mag, and also helps keep my hand from sliding up the mag toward the receiver when seating the mag...provides a "stop" of sorts to help seat the mag under force.

For me, running the AR mags bullets forward requires my hand to go between my body and the mag to get a good grip, whereas bullets rearward allows my hand to go on the outside. With body armor, I would think it would be difficult to grasp the mag securely/properly.



Edit: Good vids TGS. I don't use body armor (civilian). Should have included "I would think" in my original statement.

[TGS]

Beer canning off body armor:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx0JzYcwUiY&NR=1&feature=endscreen


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp1Kzw4jHns

[BoppaBear]

Beer canning off body armor:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx0JzYcwUiY&NR=1&feature=endscreen


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp1Kzw4jHns


Post edited.

[EricP]

Thanks for clarifying. It also sounds like the type of pouch you use and how close it rides to the body might have an impact.

It sounds like beer-can is the way to go(which is what I've been doing so far) but that doesn't necessarily dictate the direction of the mag.


Thanks for all the replies. While we are on the subject, what kind of belt mounted pouches do you guys recommend? I'm currently using a blade tech tek lock pouch but it seems very inefficient with space.

You can put me in the beer can grip camp too.

As far as pouches goes, I like HSGI Tacos and Emdom IAPs. You can attach them (or any Molle style pouch) with Dark Star Gear's Molle belt loops.

[BoppaBear]

I have been using Comp Tac belt-mounted kydex mag pouches, but just received an HSGI/Costa leg rig with 2 double-decker TACOs and a pistol TACO. Haven't even had the time to play with it yet, but if it is anything like the HSGI Cobra belt I use daily, it will do just fine. It looks to be of good quality (has been my experience with HSGI stuff), and is adjustable for drop and for a tight fit.

I will eventually put together a battle belt, but should be good to go for now.. The HSGI leg rig will carry 2 rifle mags and 3 pistol mags